Bug Bodies Slides Insect Investigators • Lesson 1
Look & Learn
Every Insect Has 3 Body Parts
Let's explore the Head, the Thorax, and the Abdomen!
1
HEAD
Eyes & Antennae
2
THORAX
Middle • Legs Attach
3
ABDOMEN
Tail End • Belly
1
THE HEAD
Front Part
Top / Front of Bug
2 Big Eyes
To see food and danger
2 Feelers (Antennae)
To smell and touch
Mouth
To chew or sip sweet nectar
🗣️ Say it together: "HEAD! Eyes and antennae!"
2
THE THORAX
Middle Part
Motor
The Bug's Power Center
6
All 6 Legs Attach Here!
3 on the left, 3 on the right
Wings Attach Here Too
If the insect flies
Strong Muscles
Powers running, jumping, flying
🗣️ Say it together: "THORAX! The middle with 6 legs!"
3
THE ABDOMEN
Back Part
Tail End / Stomach Area
Stomach and Heart
Digests food and circulates blood
Breathing Holes
Insects breathe along their belly
NO Legs on the Abdomen!
Legs only grow on the thorax
🗣️ Say it together: "ABDOMEN! The tail end!"
STAND UP & DO THE BUG SONG!
Kinesthetic Move
To the tune of: "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes"
1
HEAD!
Touch your head
"Head has eyes and feelers too!"
2
THORAX!
Touch your chest
"Thorax holds the six strong legs!"
3
ABDOMEN!
Touch your stomach
"Abdomen is at the back!"
"HEAD, THORAX, ABDOMEN... 3 BODY PARTS!"
POINTING CHALLENGE!
Touch the Screen
"Where do the 6 legs attach?"
A. Head
Front Part
B. Thorax
Middle Part
C. Abdomen
Back Part
Point with your finger! (Teacher prompt: Thorax is the middle motor!)
Bug Body Builder Activity BUG BODY BUILDER
Insect Investigators • Lesson 1 Mat
Name:
Date:
1. Cut pieces from Page 2
2. Match 1, 2, 3
3. Glue onto the Bug!
PART 1
Top: Eyes & Feelers
GLUE HEAD HERE
Has 2 eyes and 2 antennae
PART 2
Middle: 6 Legs Attach
Leg 1 Leg 2 Leg 3
GLUE THORAX HERE
Holds all 6 legs and wings
Leg 4 Leg 5 Leg 6
PART 3
Back: Tail / Belly
GLUE ABDOMEN HERE
Back section • No legs here!
Oral Response Check: Point and say the 3 parts to your teacher!
1. Head 2. Thorax 3. Abdomen
Cut-Out Sheet • Bug Body Parts
Cut along dashed lines ✂️
1
HEAD
2
THORAX
3
ABDOMEN
Draw a Line to Match!
(Match the word to what it does)
HEAD
THORAX
ABDOMEN
Holds all 6 legs
The middle motor
Tail end (belly)
No legs here
Has 2 eyes & 2 feelers
The front top part
?
Count and Circle the Correct Number:
How many body parts does an insect have?
2
3
8
Insect Investigators Sequence • Grade 5 Special Support Page 2 of 2
Insect Bodies Teacher Guide INSECT BODIES TEACHER GUIDE
Lesson 1 Facilitation • Oral Script & Kinesthetic Cues
Grade 5 Literacy Support
🎯 Core Objective: The student will identify, name, and point to the three main body parts of an insect (Head, Thorax, Abdomen) without needing to independently read extended text.
1. Verbatim Read-Aloud Script (Bug Bodies Slides)
SLIDE 1 & 2 • INTRODUCING THE HEAD Say & Point
"Look at our insect friend today! Every insect has three special body sections. Let's touch part number one: the HEAD ! Point to your own head. Now point to the bug's head on the screen. What do you see on the head? Big eyes to see with, and two feelers called antennae!"
👉 Student Action: Student touches their own head, then touches the bug's head on the screen or desk mat.
SLIDE 3 • THE THORAX (THE MOTOR) Emphasize 6 Legs
"Now look at the middle part. This is the THORAX . Say it with me: Thor-ax ! The thorax is the bug's power motor. All six legs are hooked right here. Touch your chest—that's where our strong muscles are!"
👉 Student Action: Student repeats "Thor-ax" and pats their chest with both hands.
SLIDE 4 • THE ABDOMEN (THE BACK) Touch Belly
"Last is the back section: the ABDOMEN ! Say: Ab-do-men ! That's the bug's belly and tail. Its food is digested here. Notice: are there any legs on the abdomen? No legs! Legs only grow on the thorax!"
👉 Student Action: Student places hands on stomach, shakes head "no" for legs on abdomen.
Kinesthetic Movement Song
Tune: "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes"
"HEAD!"
Hands on top of head, wiggle index fingers like feelers.
"THORAX!"
Hands on chest / shoulders, tap 3 times each side (6 legs!).
"ABDOMEN!"
Hands pat tummy/hips. Sing together 2-3 times at varying speeds.
Insect Investigators Sequence • Teacher Support Guide Page 1 of 2
LESSON 1 EVALUATION & DIFFERENTIATION
Observation & Pointing Protocol
Step-by-Step Activity Facilitation: Bug Body Builder
Pre-cut option: For students with fine motor challenges, pre-cut the 3 main pieces on Page 2 (Head, Thorax, Abdomen) before the lesson.Tactile Placement: Have student physically place each piece on the Page 1 mat before gluing. Prompt: "Which one has the eyes? Place it at the top!"
Legs and Wings Slides Insect Investigators • Lesson 2
The 6-Leg Rule
Insects Have EXACTLY 6 LEGS!
Count them with your fingers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6!
6 LEGS
3 on left • 3 on right
2 ANTENNAE
Feelers on the head
WINGS
Most insects can fly
6
COUNT THE 6 LEGS!
All on Thorax
1
Front Left Leg
2
Middle Left Leg
3
Back Left Leg
HEAD
THORAX
ABDOMEN
3 + 3 = 6 Legs!
4
Front Right Leg
5
Middle Right Leg
6
Back Right Leg
🗣️ Count on your fingers: "1, 2, 3 on left... 4, 5, 6 on right!"
2
TWO ANTENNAE!
Sensory Feelers
Wiggle your fingers on your head!
Touch and Feel
Helps bugs find their way in the dark
Smell Food
Insects smell with their antennae!
2
Always A Pair (2)
One on the left, one on the right
🗣️ Gesture: Put two pointer fingers on your forehead and wiggle them like antennae!
WINGS TO FLY!
Flight Centers
4 Wings
Butterflies & Dragonflies have 4 big wings!
2 Wings
Flies & Mosquitoes have 2 fast wings!
Hidden Wings
Beetles hide wings under hard shells!
Remember: Even with wings, they still have 6 LEGS !
THE BIG SHOWDOWN: SPIDER VS INSECT!
Tricky Trick!
TRUE INSECT ✅
Ant / Bee / Beetle
🦵 6 Legs
🧩 3 Body Parts
📡 2 Antennae
NOT AN INSECT ❌
Spider
🦵 8 Legs (Too many!)
🧩 2 Body Parts
📡 0 Antennae
Spiders have 8 legs, so a spider is an Arachnid , NOT an insect!
POINT & COUNT!
Touch the Screen
"Which one has EXACTLY 6 legs?"
Six Leg Sorting Activity 6
SIX LEG SORTING MAT
Insect Investigators • Lesson 2 Mat
Name:
Date:
THE INSECT RULE: Must have EXACTLY 6 legs!
INSECT
EXACTLY 6 LEGS
Paste or Place Insect Card 1
Paste or Place Insect Card 2
Paste or Place Insect Card 3
Paste or Place Insect Card 4
✅ 4 cards belong here!
NOT AN INSECT
0 LEGS, 8 LEGS, OR MANY LEGS
Paste or Place Other Creature 1
Paste or Place Other Creature 2
Paste or Place Other Creature 3
Paste or Place Other Creature 4
❌ 4 cards belong here!
Oral Check: "Why is a spider NOT an insect?" (Response: "It has 8 legs!") Page 1 of 2
Creature Cards to Cut & Sort
8 Cards • Cut on Dashed Lines ✂️
🐜
ANT
Crawls in colonies
Count Legs:
6 Legs
🕷️
SPIDER
Spins web silk
Count Legs:
8 Legs
🐞
LADYBUG
Red with spots
Count Legs:
6 Legs
🪱
WORM
Wiggles in dirt
Count Legs:
None!
0 Legs
🐝
HONEYBEE
Buzzes on flowers
Count Legs:
6 Legs
🐛
CENTIPEDE
Crawls in leaf pile
Count Legs:
30+ Legs
Many Legs!
🦗
GRASSHOPPER
Jumps high
Count Legs:
6 Legs
🐌
SNAIL
Has shell on back
Count Legs:
Sliding Foot
0 Legs
Sorting Tip: Touch each green dot to count to 6 before placing in the INSECT bin!
4 Insects • 4 Not
Insect Investigators Sequence • Creature Cards Page 2 of 2
Six Legs Teacher Guide SIX LEGS TEACHER GUIDE
Lesson 2 Facilitation • Counting Routines & Scripts
Grade 5 Literacy Support
🎯 Core Objective: The student will count to 6 to verify if a creature is an insect, contrast 6-legged insects with 8-legged spiders, and identify 2 antennae and wings without requiring reading fluency.
1. Scripted Oral Read-Aloud (Legs & Wings Slides)
SLIDE 2 • FINGER COUNTING TO SIX Finger Routine
"Hold up your hands! An insect always has exactly six jointed legs. Let's count them together on our fingers. Left side: one, two, three! Right side: four, five, six! How many altogether? Six! If a creature has 4 legs, is it an insect? No! If it has 8 legs, is it an insect? No! Insects have exactly six!"
👉 Student Action: Student holds up 3 fingers on one hand, 3 on the other, bringing them together to count 1 to 6.
SLIDE 3 • ANTENNAE GESTURE Wiggle Feelers
"Now put two pointer fingers right above your eyebrows. Wiggle them! What are these called? Antennae! Insects don't have noses like us; they use their two antennae to sniff out sweet nectar and feel their way in the dark. How many antennae? Two!"
👉 Student Action: Student wiggles index fingers on head and says "Two antennae!"
SLIDE 5 • THE SPIDER CONTRADICTION Contrast Check
"Look closely at this spider. Let's count its legs together: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight! That's too many! Eight legs means it is an arachnid, not an insect. Give me two thumbs down for spider being an insect!"
👉 Student Action: Student counts the 8 legs on the picture, then makes a thumbs-down gesture.
Tactile Manipulatives Station (Recommended)
Kinesthetic Practice
🥢 Pipe Cleaners or Clothespins:
Give student an egg carton cup (the thorax) and 6 pipe cleaners or clothespins. Have the student clip 3 on one side and 3 on the other while chanting: "3 plus 3 makes 6!"
🔴 Counting Dots Touch-Method:
On the Page 2 sorting cards, train the student to touch each green dot with an eraser tip or finger, vocalizing: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - Yes, insect!"
Insect Investigators Sequence • Teacher Support Guide Page 1 of 2
LESSON 2 EVALUATION & DIFFERENTIATION
Sorting Protocol & Rubric
Step-by-Step Card Sort Facilitation
Present One Card at a Time: Hand the student the Ant card first. Ask: "Let's count the dots together. How many legs?" Bin Placement: Have student place the card in the green
Detective Academy Slides Bug Detective Academy • Final Mission
Official Inspector
🔍 Case File: Who is a True Insect?
THE BUG DETECTIVE CHALLENGE
Use your detective checklist to solve mystery creature cases!
3 Body Parts
Head, Thorax, Abdomen
6 Legs
3 on left, 3 on right
2 Feelers
Antennae on the head
OUR DETECTIVE CHECKLIST
Test Every Bug
1
3 Body Parts?
Head + Thorax + Abdomen
2
Exactly 6 Legs?
All attached to the thorax
3
2 Antennae?
Pair of feelers on head
4
Hard Exoskeleton?
Crunchy outer armor
All 4 checks must pass to earn the INSECT BADGE !
CASE 1
THE DRAGONFLY
Inspection
🪰
Blue Dragonfly
Flies over ponds and marshes
3 Body Parts? YES ✅
6 Jointed Legs? YES (6) ✅
2 Antennae? YES ✅
Wings? 4 Wings! ✅
VERDICT: IT IS AN INSECT! 🏆
CASE 2
THE SCORPION
Inspection
🦂
Desert Scorpion
Has tail stinger and pincers
How Many Legs? 8 LEGS! ❌
3 Body Parts? Only 2! ❌
Antennae? NONE! ❌
Creature Group: Arachnid
VERDICT: NOT AN INSECT! ❌ (Too many legs!)
CASE 3
THE RHINOCEROS BEETLE
Inspection
🪲
Heavy Beetle
Has tough wing covers
3 Body Parts? YES ✅
6 Jointed Legs? YES (6) ✅
2 Antennae? YES ✅
Exoskeleton? Super Hard! ✅
VERDICT: IT IS AN INSECT! 🏆
CONGRATULATIONS, DETECTIVE!
Certified
OFFICIAL BUG DETECTIVE
Master of 3 Body Parts, 6 Legs, and Antennae!
Now complete your Field Report to earn your physical badge!
🗣️ High five your teacher! You know all the insect rules!
Bug Detective Field Report BUG DETECTIVE FIELD REPORT
Insect Investigators • Final Check-In
Name:
Date:
Mission 1: Count legs & parts. Circle YES 👍 or NO 👎!
Oral / Pointing Friendly
🦋
A. Moth
3 parts • 6 legs • 2 antennae
YES 👍
NO 👎
🕷️
B. Spider
2 parts • 8 legs • 0 antennae
YES 👍
NO 👎
🐞
C. Ladybug
3 parts • 6 legs • 2 antennae
YES 👍
NO 👎
🪱
D. Earthworm
Long rings • 0 legs • 0 antennae
YES 👍
NO 👎
Mission 2: Draw the Missing Parts!
Drawing Task
This bug is missing its legs and antennae! Draw 6 legs on the thorax (3 on left, 3 on right) and 2 antennae on the head .
HEAD
Thorax (Legs go here!)
Abdomen
👈 Draw 3 legs here
Draw 3 legs here 👉
👆 Draw 2 feelers on head
I drew 2 antennae
I drew 3 legs on left
I drew 3 legs on right (6 total!)
Insect Investigators Sequence • Bug Detective Report Page 1 of 2
MISSION 3: TOUCH, COUNT & SHOW
Final Verification
Specimen Inspection: The Honeybee
Point or color each part as your teacher reads the names:
1. Color or Point: HEAD
Has 2 eyes and 2 feelers
2. Color or Point: THORAX
Holds all 6 legs and wings
3. Color or Point: ABDOMEN
Back belly part • No legs
Total Legs on Insect:
Circle the right number
4
6
8
Total Body Parts:
Circle the right number
2
3
5
PASSED
OFFICIAL BUG DETECTIVE
Teacher Signature: ______________________
How do you feel?
😄 🙂 🤔
Insect Investigators Sequence • Bug Detective Report Page 2 of 2
Detective Assessment Teacher Guide DETECTIVE ASSESSMENT GUIDE
Lesson 3 Assessment • Oral & Pointing Administration
Grade 5 Literacy Support
📋 Administration Note: Read all directions aloud. Allow the student to respond by pointing, drawing, gesturing, or speaking in single words or short phrases. Do not penalize for spelling or reading.
Verbatim Assessment Prompts
STATION 1 • MYSTERY PICTURES (YES 👍 OR NO 👎) Oral Prompt
"Detective, look at Creature A: the Moth. Let's count the legs: one, two, three, four, five, six! Does it have 3 body parts? Yes! Circle YES thumbs-up, or point to it."
"Now look at Creature B: the Spider. Count the legs with me. Eight legs! Is a spider an insect? Circle or point to NO thumbs-down!"
👉 Scoring: Student circles or points to: Moth (YES), Spider (NO), Ladybug (YES), Earthworm (NO).
STATION 2 • DRAWING MISSING LEGS & ANTENNAE Drawing Check
"Look at our unfinished bug friend. It has a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. But it cannot walk! Draw its six legs. Where do the legs connect? The thorax! Put three legs on the left and three on the right. Now draw two antennae feelers on top of its head."
👉 Scoring: Verify all 6 legs attach to the middle thorax (not abdomen) and 2 feelers on the head.
STATION 3 • TOUCH & POINT (HONEYBEE) Pointing Check
"1. Touch the bug's Head! What is on the head?
👉 Scoring: Student points directly to the correct region on the Honeybee illustration.
Final Detective Graduation Defense
Teacher asks: "Tell me your two insect detective secrets! How many body parts? And how many legs?" Student target response: "Three parts! Six legs!" (Can hold up 3 fingers, then 6 fingers).
Insect Investigators Sequence • Assessment Teacher Guide Page 1 of 2
PICTORIAL RUBRIC & SCORING MATRIX
Non-Reading Rubric
Mastery Evaluation Rubric
1. Three Body Parts
Head, Thorax, Abdomen
Emerging Identifies 1 part with support
Approaching Identifies 2 parts correctly
Mastered ⭐ Accurately points to all 3 parts
2. Six Jointed Legs
Counts 1-6; attaches to thorax
Emerging Counts legs inconsistently
Approaching Counts 6, but attaches anywhere
Mastered ⭐ Draws/identifies 6 legs on thorax
